They said the killings were the word of Satan. But Beatrice Scarlet, the apothecary's daughter, detects the hands of men...

New Hampshire, 1756: The god-fearing farmers of Sutton are suffering divine punishment for unknown sins. Crops fail, cows die and fish are poisoned by their water. Six pigs, slaughtered in their sty, bear the mark of the devils in their mouths.

But to Beatrice Scarlet, the apothecary's daughter, the truth is much more chilling. Somewhere in this idyllic hamlet, a killer is hiding in plain sight. And if Beatrice does not unmask him soon, he'll be coming for her next...

Review

“A skilfully written and wonderfully unnerving thriller” ― Bookshelf Butterfly

“From the first page you get a feeling that this book is like nothing you've read before, and nothing like anything you'll read in the near future. Graham Masterton has perfected an eerie start that gets you intrigued right from the get go... It's so fast-paced and never once misses a beat nor does it ever let-up on the speed'” ― Published Moments

“Plenty of shocks and surprises... Beatrice is a very strong character and I loved her scientific approach to explaining all the strange events in her life – she's like a scientific 18th-century Miss Marple. I will definitely be looking out for the next book in the Beatrice Scarlet series, 4/5'” ― The Book Magnet

“A superb piece of historical horror. Graham Masterton is an expert at combining suspense with laying the groundwork for an intricately plotted thriller” ― Crime Review

“Fun, fresh and intriguing” ― The Bookseller

“The characters are very well crafted, with Beatrice emerging as a fantastic new female protagonist... A promising new series'” ― New Books Magazine

About the Author

Graham Masterton (born 1946, Edinburgh) is a British horror author. Originally editor of Mayfair and the British edition of Penthouse, Graham Masterton's first novel The Manitou was published in 1976 and adapted for the film in 1978 .

Further works garnered critical acclaim, including a Special Edgar award by the Mystery Writers of America for Charnel House and a Silver Medal by the West Coast Review of Books for Mirror. He is also the only non-French winner of the prestigious Prix Julia Verlanger for his novel Family Portrait , an imaginative reworking of the Oscar Wilde novel The Picture of Dorian Gray.

Masterton's novels often contain visceral sex and horror. In addition to his novels, Masterton has written a number of sex instruction books, including How To Drive Your Man Wild In Bed and Wild Sex for New Lovers.

Visit www.grahammasterton.co.uk